Exposure to diesel exhaust particles increases susceptibility to invasive pneumococcal disease.

Background: The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution is responsible for 7 million deaths per annum, with 7% of these attributable to pneumonia. Many of these fatalities have been linked to exposure to high levels of airborne particulates, such as diesel exhaust particles (DEPs).

Objectives: We sought to determine whether exposure to DEPs could promote the progression of asymptomatic nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae to invasive pneumococcal disease.